Attachment-plug.



PATENTED JULY 2 3 W. G. TRBGONING. ATTACHMENT PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1907.

wa sin-ins WILLIAM G. TREGONING, OF

MANUFAOTURZLNG COMPANY,

sm'ncmusnr-rnue.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 9, 1907. Serial No. 251,504.

Patented. .m 23, 190?.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wrnman G. TREGONING, a, citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cleveland, in the county 0 Cuyahoga andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachment-Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in attachment plugs, and has for its object the provision of an appliance of this character, wherein the insulating prop ertics and the contacts are maintained at the highest efficiency; the device is made of simple and compact form, and admits of readily making and breaking the l electrical connections as required.

ln apparatus of this character, it is necessary that the contacts shall make perfect electrical engagement, and that those parts which are energized or excited by the transmitted current, shall be securely mounted and coinplott' ly insulated from each other. Moreover, it is of importance that the contacts, while securing the above results, shall not be shaped in such manner as to unduly lock or grip each other, but preferably by their positioning and proper form, these contacts should immediately be engaged or released. My improvomcnis are adapted to attain these results, and as embodied herein, are shown in connection with a re- I mowi-ble-tap attachment-plug, equipped with. various modified loans for maintaining the desired electrical connection. These means are associated preferably with porcelain body portions, serving to maintain and insulate the springs and conductor members, and secured together respectively by means of connecting contact springs, and by a central stem electrically and mechanically uniting the removable-cap. All of these features will be more readily understood by making rciercncc to the accompanying sheet of drawings, illustrating in dot ail the features of 1 my invention wherein Figure l, is a vertical section of the improved attachmcut plug embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is an end View of the removable cord-socket member. Fig. 3, shows the inner end of the attachment plug with the porcelain body of the cap removed. Fig. 4, is a plan vicw oi the opposite end thereof. Figs. 5 and .11, are fragmentary views showing modified forms of co-ag lang separable sprin s. Fig. (3,illust1atcs the conductiye shell of the rcmoYahlc-ca-p. Fig. '7, is a pcrspcr tivc View of the porcelain body of said cap, and Figs ll) and 10 respectively show in pcrsplective, one of thin o tact springs, a apped part, and the but for securing the rcmovublc cap'oi the plug.

In each of the several figures of ".hu drawing L'havg, indicated similar parts by the some charact r oireloronce, to avoid any confusion in considering thc samt Referring first to Fig. 1, it is seen that the attachment plug is therein shown by the sectional View inflinvert d 1 l position with the separable cord-socket above, connecting cap beneath. Each of the three sections of the plug is provided 'with a specially shaped body- I member a, b or c of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain. :Bo'dy portion b is providedwith two longitudinal channels of. passages b, respectively accommodating the contact springs d 11 having corrugated ends. One of said springs is shown in detail in Fig. 8. At the inner end of body portion b is provided anypwardly extending Ti-shapedwall 'b within and around which-the Contact parts respectively lie in compact telation but thoroughly insulated from each other, as best shown in Fig. 3, Extending centrally through this plug or body portion, is the screw 0, which serves to assemblp, the several parts, and terminates slightly' beyond the body portion a of the cap, which is recessed to receive the bur cflwhile the tapped part e (Fig. 9) in tenn'ediately engages the screw to hold the contact spring d in place. The shell f of the removable-cap is thus maintained in engagement with contact spring d, 7 5 while the opposing spring maintains contact through therscrew e and its terminal bur. As shown in Figs. 6 i and 7, the shell and the insulating body portion are suitably recessed or cut away to accommodate the insulating wall b.' From the central bore or opening 0 of '80 the separable cord-socket 0, will extend the connecting T cord (not shown) to any desired appliance, while thecorrugatcd springs g g are rpspectively mounted therein, and diametrically positioned to extend within the longitudinal openings 6, and separately engage Withff'85 the co-acting springs d d. It will be seen that this: type of attachment-plug affords contact springs of unusual length, and the corrugated-portions thereof are adapted to engage and make highly effective contact with each other. These corrugations preferably are not abrupt and thereby unduly resisting separation, but' by reason of the rclati fely long frictional contact surfaces afforded bctweenltlic springs, they are adniirably adapted to serve both as attachment and contact springs. Moreover, the length of spring serves to distribute the lloxurc, so that there is no chance of breakage at the point oi attachment, while the frictional ongagcment better regulated or'ad j usted. The springs foi' both scparab]emcnibcrs, furthermore, arc adaptpd to; ltcsnunpcd out of shoot-metal, thus inateriallyi'e- .lilO ducingthc cost, and they urt i provided with integral. "angular Qgwtcusions, affording ample 7110:1115 for mo ch'anical" and electrical attachment thereof, without resort tbisoldoriug or riveting illc sumo lo the :u'ljaccntparts. i

nert fragmentary vigw, Fig. 5, l haw-shown conlrc forums having a r c'vcrscly I adapted to cngugc with the lower end of lic srpniu-hlo spring 1 The modified typesoi springs d" shlwn in 11, are provided 3.10

bout loop or crook, whi

. shell, an insulating with single corrugations at their ends, and while the engaging contact surfaces are not so large as in the other types just described, an attachment-plug thus equipped, is capable of immediate separation resulting irom'a strain orpull imparted thereto at any angle. By reason of the relatively Wide springs, however, the electrical and mechanical engagement may be made suilicient through the use of springs of proper stiffness and rigidity, as shown, to meet all practical requirements in a device of this character, while the integral bentattaching terminals tor the springs, afford ample iicxure without the chance of breaking off the spring, as with a short or soldered connection, for example. This is frequently found to be a very desirable feature, since the connecting cord may otherwise accidentally over-turn the terminal lamp, fan-motor, or other appliance, should the attachment-plug not separate immediately the conducting cord is drawn taut from any It will be appreciated that the several connections within my attachment-plug will be soldered, as in ordinary practice, and that the screw penings c in the removable cord-socket member will be filled with wax,

or other insulating material, after the cord strands have been properly connected thereto. Moreover, certain modifications from the precise details herein set forth,

will occur to those skilled in the art, and fall within the 1. In an attachment-plug, the combination with a contlichmaking cap formed of an insulating body portion, an

eit'prlor metal sleeve therefor, and an integral contact and retaining spring secured to said body portion with its bent terminal interiorly contacting with the sleeve and held in place thereby, of an insulating body portion having two longitudinal passages extending therethrough, a contact and retaining spring mounted thereon, and lying within one of said passages, while the opposing contact and retulning'spring extends within the other of said passages. and a separable member of insulating material mounting two co-acting contact and retaining members adapted to enter said passage and respectively engage the aforesaid springs} the said springs being provided with interlocking cngagingparts to secure the mechanical and electrical attachment-of the separable part, substantially as set forth. 5 2. In an attachment-plug, the combination with an insulating body portion, of a contact-making cap or shell surrounding the some, a contact and retaining spring having an integral attachment terminal secured beneath said body portion associated therewith and provided with two which the spring extends, a second contact and retaining spring secured upon said body portion and lying within theother passage, a central attaching screw, and a sc arable member of insulating material with two co-a( us: contact and retaining parts mounted thereon in position to engage the aforesaid springs, whereby the separable member is electrically and mechanically attached to the body of the plug, substantially as set forth.

longitudinal passages, within one of In an attachment plug, the combination with a con.

tacbmaking cap, of an insulating body portion having two jacent contact springs;

end, and a separable member,

tion having an longitudinal passages extending therethrough, tw o coma bined retaining and contact springs respectively disposed in said passages, each having integral angular extensions securely mounting its upper end and connected with the terminals of the contact-making cap, and a separable member of insulating material mounting two contact springs, adapted to enter said passages and respectively engage the aforesaid springs; the saidsprlngs being corrugated adjscent to their engaging portions, substantially as set forth.

4. In an attachment plug, the combination with a conractniaking cap, of an insulating body portion having an elevated U-shaped insulating wall separating the respective conductor parts, and two longitudinal passages extending therctln'ough, combined retaining and contact springs re spectively disposed in said passages and connected with terminals of the contact-making cap, and a separable member of insulating material mounting two contact springs, adapted to enter said passages and-respectively engage the adjacent springs; the said springs being corrugated adjacent to their engaging end portions, substantially as set 5. In an attachment plug. the combination with the insulating members a, b, and 0, respectively forming the cap, body and cord-socket bases, of two combined retaining and contact springs extendingthrough and mounted upon said body member I), a conductive shell about the member a interiorly engaging the terminal of one of said springs, a central screw uniting these parts,;a nd contact springs upon the member 0, adapted separably to engage the adsaid springs being corrugated adjnceut to their engaging endportions, substantially as set forth.

6. In an attachment plug, thc-comhinationwith an elou' gated insulating body portion, traversedby two-longltudi- I nal passages, of two relatively long combined retaining and contact springs substantially-equal in length to the elongated body portion and respectively lying therein; each having integral angular extensions securely mounting its upper end, circuit-extending contacts respectively connccted therewith, and a cord-socket member adapted to be rcmovably associated with said body portion and having two co-acting attaching and contact springs; the adjacent springs being corrugated over substantially their entire engaging areas, substantially as set forth.

7. In a separable attachment plug, the combination with a contact-making cap, of an insulating body portion, having an elevated ll-shaped insulating wall separating the respective conductor-members, two combined retaining and contact springs mounted within said'body; each having integral angular cxtensions securely supporting its upper comprising an insulating base and two concting contact springs respectively adapted to engage the adjacent springs; all: being corrugated throughout substantially their engaging areas, substantially as ,set forth. g

8. In a separable attachment plug, the combination with :l'suitable contact-making cup, of im insulating body [30!" integral U-shnped wall, a contact spring having a bifurcated supporting terminal, a second contact spring ll and integral terminal, a tapped part a" engaging and supporting said terminal, a central assembling and contact-making screw 0 undo: separable member mounting two coaciing contact springs, all of said springs being corrugated throughout approximately their engaging areas, substantially as set forth, r i

Signed at Cleveland, this 8th day-of January, 1007, in

V31. C. 'IREGONING. 

